Louvre burglary: the two suspects charged and placed in pre-trial detention

These two men, aged 34 and 39, who were arrested on Saturday evening, have been charged with "organized robbery and conspiracy to commit a crime" and remanded in custody, the prosecutor's office of the Specialized Interregional Jurisdiction (JIRS) specified.

The first suspect, aged 34, has also been placed in pretrial detention, his lawyers, Réda Ghilaci and David Bocobza, indicated. "The only comment we can give you tonight is that there is an abysmal disconnect between the extraordinary nature of this case and the completely ordinary personality of our client," they told the press, emphasizing the need for "the utmost respect for the confidentiality of the investigation and the preliminary inquiry" in this case.

Arrested Saturday evening, the two suspects "partially admitted to the facts," the prosecutor stated at a press conference late Saturday afternoon. They are suspected of being the ones who "entered the Apollo Gallery to steal the jewelry," she added.

The prosecution has requested that they be formally charged and remanded in custody. The prosecutor added that "at this stage, there is no evidence to suggest that the perpetrators had any accomplices within the museum." However, "we are not ruling out the possibility" of a much larger group than the four individuals identified by the security cameras, she said.

"The jewels are not yet in our possession. I want to remain hopeful that they will be found and can be returned to the Louvre Museum and more broadly to the nation," Laure Beccuau also stated.

“These jewels are now obviously unsellable. As a reminder, […] anyone who buys them would be guilty of receiving stolen goods,” she emphasized, before adding: “There is still time to return them.” The two men apprehended live in Aubervilliers, in Seine-Saint-Denis.

One of the two men was arrested Saturday evening at Roissy airport as he was about to board a flight to Algeria "without a return ticket to France." Aged 34, he is an Algerian national and has lived in France since 2010. He is already known to the police and judicial authorities for offenses mainly related to traffic violations, and one count of theft, according to the prosecutor.

The second man, aged 39, was arrested near his home. "There is no evidence to suggest he was leaving the country," the prosecutor stated. He is already known to police for aggravated theft. Laure Beccuau emphasized the "day and night" work of the hundred or so investigators and magistrates involved in the case, describing it as an "exceptional mobilization of everyone" to "identify the perpetrators as quickly as possible and try to recover the jewelry."

More than 150 samples were analyzed "with the utmost urgency," she said. The loot from this audacious heist, which made headlines around the world, is estimated at 88 million euros, the prosecutor indicated. Around 9:30 a.m. on October 19, the members of the commando positioned a forklift truck at the foot of the museum, on the Quai François-Mitterrand, and two of them, their faces masked, used a platform to hoist themselves up to the Apollo Gallery.

After smashing a window and the display cases containing the jewelry using angle grinders, the thieves left on two scooters driven by their accomplices.

The burglary lasted less than eight minutes. During their escape, the perpetrators dropped Empress Eugénie's crown, which was damaged. The director of the Louvre indicated "how delicate it would be" to restore it, noted Ms. Beccuau.

Security in question

The incident has sparked lengthy debates about security at the Louvre, the world's most visited museum. It has led to an initial confrontation. The new Paris police prefect, Patrice Faure, stated on Wednesday that he was "firmly opposed" to the establishment of a police station within the Louvre, a request made by the museum's president, Laurence des Cars, following the burglary.

The chairman of the Senate's Culture Committee, Laurent Lafon, said on Tuesday, after visiting the Louvre's security facilities, that the security of the establishment was "not up to what one can expect from a museum today".

Culture Minister Rachida Dati said on Wednesday that she was "awaiting" the conclusions of the administrative inquiry into the museum's security.